Micronutrient status among patients diagnosed with eating disorders

Micronutrients are essential for physiological functioning, and deficiencies may lead to adverse health outcomes. As micronutrient intake depends entirely on dietary consumption, individuals with eating disorders (EDs) are particularly vulnerable to developing deficiencies. Although numerous studies have investigated micronutrient status in individuals with EDs, findings remain inconsistent, sample sizes are often limited, and most research has focused primarily on anorexia nervosa (AN). This observational cross-sectional study aimed to examine micronutrient levels in blood across multiple ED subtypes and compare these findings with a healthy control group.

Micronutrient levels (vitamin B1, B6, B12, D, folic acid and magnesium) were assessed in 157 patients (60 with AN, 26 with bulimia nervosa [BN], 28 with binge-eating disorder [BED] and 43 with other specified feeding or eating disorder [OSFED]) who started treatment between 2017 and 2018 and 66 controls (matched on sex, age and education level). Levels were compared between the five groups (oneway ANOVA, post-hoc Games-Howell test).

Patients with BED had significantly lower folic acid levels compared to controls as well as patients with AN, BN and OSFED. No significant group differences were observed for any other micronutrient.

This study showed that BED was associated with folic acid deficiency. Furthermore, it underscores the potential value of monitoring micronutrient status across all ED subtypes. Given the crucial role of micronutrients in human health, further research involving diverse ED populations, robust control groups, and larger sample sizes is essential to identify consistent patterns and prevent potential health complications associated with EDs.